Weld’s unemployment dips slightly in February

Weld unemployment tipped downward, but not by much, with state officials reporting that county unemployment dropped from 9.6 percent in January to 9.2 percent in February, not adjusted for seasonality.

According to Friday’s Colorado Department of Labor & Employment release, Weld’s unemployment rate was lower compared to February 2011, when it was 10.3 percent.

The report said that between January and February, the number of unemployed in Weld fell from 11,358 people to 11,244. When paired against February 2011, unemployment fell by 1,268 people.

Joe Winter, a labor department senior economist, said Weld can attribute most of the job growth to education and teaching positions.

Out of the 1,900 positions created in Weld over the month, Winter said local government education saw an addition of 500 jobs and state government education an addition of 400 ” or combined 47.4 percent of all new positions.

“There were no declines in any industries over the month (in Weld),” Winter said. “The big push here is in the education trend.”

Winter said the county was up 1,100 positions, when adjusted for seasonality.

Eric Berglund, Interim President Upstate Colorado Economic Development ” Weld’s economic development arm, said the uptick might also be attributed to budget approvals that allow companies to begin hiring and the effects of a waning recession.

“Some of the improvement that we’re seeing is because the economy is more robust,” Berglund said.

Statewide, unemployment dropped from 8.4 percent in January to 8.2 percent in February. Last year in February, state unemployment was at 9 percent.

The state said the largest private-sector job gains over the month, statewide, were in education, health services, trade, transportation and utilities. The largest decline was in financial activities.

In the nearby Loveland and Fort Collins area, the unemployment rate also dropped; however, only by 0.1 percent. In January, Loveland and Fort Collins area moved from 6.8 percent to 6.9 percent in February with 12,073 people unemployed, not adjusted for seasonality.